Environmental Dangers Run out of Infested Breath before she finishes the cast. She aims it in a random direction.

Stage 2: Heart of the Swarm (Bug phase)

Environmental Dangers Distance yourself from insects before they explode with Burst of Corruption.

Positioning Tank near the center of the room, so that the raid can more easily avoid her dragon breath.

Environmental Dangers Each application of plague damage applies a stack of Infested, which is a stacking DoT that doesn’t fall off until the phase change. Avoid unnecessary sources (Infested Breath, Infested Ground).

Stage 1: The Plagued Dreamer (Dragon phase)

Tank Swap Run Away Damage ReductionWhen afflicted with Volatile Rot, run as far away from your raid as you can.

Ideally, run to a wall or designated Infested Ground dropping area. It deals less raid damage the further other people are to the afflicted tank, and the pools need to be out of everyone’s way.

Environmental Dangers Run out of Infested Breath before she finishes the cast. She aims it in a random direction.

Stage 2: Heart of the Swarm (Bug phase)

Environmental Dangers Distance yourself from insects before they explode with Burst of Corruption.

Positioning Tank near the center of the room, so that the raid can more easily avoid her dragon breath.

Environmental Dangers Each application of plague damage applies a stack of Infested, which is a stacking DoT that doesn’t fall off until the phase change. Avoid unnecessary sources (Infested Breath, Infested Ground).

Interrupt Change Targets When the boss casts Infested Mind, anyone with more than 10 stacks of Infested will be mind-controlled. If possible, interrupt and attack the afflicted players to break the mind-control.

Tanks need to time their mind-controls so that they don’t happen at the same time. Stand in puddles to ensure you are mind-controlled at the right time.

Mind controls will often happen at the same time the other tank needs to run away from the raid. Use defensive cooldowns if you are running away because you’ll also have to tank the boss until the mind-control is broken on the other tank.

Stage 1: The Plagued Dreamer (Dragon phase)

Tank Swap Run Away Damage ReductionWhen afflicted with Volatile Rot, run as far away from your raid as you can.

Ideally, run to a wall or designated Infested Ground dropping area. It deals less raid damage the further other people are to the afflicted tank, and the pools need to be out of everyone’s way.

Elerethe Renferal

Positioning Tank near the edge of the platforms, so that the raid has more space to manage their mechanics.

Environmental Dangers Avoid eggs on the edge of the platforms, the small purple tornadoes, Twisting Shadows, and the green circles, Venomous Pool.

Spider Phase

Adds Watch Positioning When the boss retreats out of range, pick up Venomous Spiderlings. Upon death, each Venomous Spiderling drops a Venomous Pool. The add tank will need to drag the spiders away from the raid so that the pools are out of the way.

Environmental Dangers Before the boss returns, run out of the giant green circle, Vile Ambush. It does less damage the further you are from it.

Roc (Bird) Phase

Environmental Dangers During Gathering Clouds, you’ll be pushed toward the edge of the platform. Avoid any of the present environmental dangers (pools, tornadoes).

Change Position Follow the boss as she flies to the next platform.

The boss tank should walk through a Shimmering Feather and use it to jump to the boss ASAP. When the rest of the raid arrives, use the Extra Action Button to stomp on the spiders and kill them.

Adds If not tanking the boss, pick up Venomous Spiderlings, which spawn as your raid traverses the web bridge between platforms. Remember to position them out of the way before they die.

Positioning Tank near the edge of the platforms, so that the raid has more space to manage their mechanics.

Environmental Dangers Avoid eggs on the edge of the platforms, the small purple tornadoes, Twisting Shadows, and the green circles, Venomous Pool.

Spider Phase

Watch PositioningWeb of Pain reflects the damage between the two tanks. Stay within 20 yards of your co-tank to keep the damage manageable.

Environmental Dangers Adds Watch Positioning When the boss retreats to her web, run out of the giant green circle, Vile Ambush. It does less damage the further you are from it.

One tank should pick up Venomous Spiderlings. Upon death, each Venomous Spiderling drops a Venomous Pool. Drag the spiders away from the raid so that the pools are out of the way.

Remember that if the add tank goes beyond 20 yards from the boss tank, both will need to use cooldowns.

Roc (Bird) Phase

Change Position Adds Follow the boss as she flies to the next platform.

The boss tank should walk through a Shimmering Feather and use it to jump to the boss ASAP. When the rest of the raid arrives, use the Extra Action Button to stomp on the spiders and kill them.

If not tanking the boss, pick up Venomous Spiderlings, which spawn as your raid traverses the web bridge between platforms. Remember to position them out of the way before they die.

Tank Swap Magic Damage Reduction CleaveTaunt very quickly off your co-tank after they take the first Raking Talons, as she will cast another in a few seconds.

She will follow it up with a cleave, Razor Wing, which you can sidestep out of.

Positioning Tank near the edge of the platforms, so that the raid has more space to manage their mechanics.

Environmental Dangers Avoid eggs on the edge of the platforms, the small purple tornadoes, Twisting Shadows, and the green circles, Venomous Pool.

Spider Phase

Watch PositioningWeb of Pain reflects the damage between the two tanks. When adds aren’t up, stay within 20 yards of your co-tank to keep the damage manageable.

The web binding between the two tanks deals damage and knocks anyone back who crosses it, so keep your movement predictable for other players to avoid.

Environmental Dangers Adds Watch Positioning When the boss retreats to her web, run out of the giant green circle, Vile Ambush. It does less damage the further you are from it.

One tank should pick up Venomous Spiderlings. Upon death, each Venomous Spiderling drops a Venomous Pool. Drag the spiders away from the raidand the boss so that the pools are out of the way.

If adds are too close to the boss, they will buff her damage significantly via Swarm. Pick them up quickly and position them far away.

Remember that if the add tank goes beyond 20 yards from the boss tank, both will need to use cooldowns.

Environmental Dangers Adds On the first platform, Vile Ambush will leave behind webbing on the ground, Tangled Webs, which will spawn additional Venomous Spiderlings if stepped on. Get out of the webs quickly and pick up any accidental spiders.

Adds On the third platform, Vile Ambush will spawn spider eggs. The raid may wish to hatch these spiders before she hatches all of them, so if that’s the case the tanks will need to walk over a few eggs while they are not tanking the boss.

Roc (Bird) Phase

Change Position Adds Follow the boss as she flies to the next platform.

The boss tank should walk through a Shimmering Feather and use it to jump to the boss ASAP. When the rest of the raid arrives, use the Extra Action Button to stomp on the spiders and kill them.

If not tanking the boss, pick up Venomous Spiderlings, which spawn as your raid traverses the web bridge between platforms. Remember to position them out of the way before they die.

Magic Damage Reduction On the second platform, the boss will rush to a random side of the area and cast Violent Winds. About half of the raid will need to help soak it to weaken the pushback and damage. Tanks will also need to alternate soaking each cast.

Tank Swap Magic Damage Reduction CleaveTaunt very quickly off your co-tank after they take the first Raking Talons, as she will cast another in a few seconds.

She will follow it up with a cleave, Razor Wing, which you can sidestep out of.

Long distance movement

Frequent add pickup

Dealing burst AoE damage

Burst magic damage, magic DoTs

Vengeance: can Infernal Strike and glide over most of the webs, reducing spiders during platform transitions.

Bird phase cooldowns: Most of her big attacks are magical (Raking Talons and Violet Winds), so I used Empower Wards frequently, and rotated Fiery Brand and Nether Bond / Soul Barrier. I had an especially hard time surviving Violent Winds since it often pushed me out of Soul Cleave range, which is where Nether Bond on my co-tank came in handy.

Brewmaster: statue!

Place transcendence on the rock island if you have to cross the bridge.

Important Talents: Black Ox Statue for tanking spiders. Place it where you want to tank spiders, and at the end of the web bridge to pick up any that spawn as the raid runs over. Rushing Jade Wind for picking up stray spiders and holding them.

Ironskin Brew is usually enough for Raking Talons and Violent Winds, though if you’re struggling with Violent Winds then Diffuse Magic is a solid choice

Most complexity comes from timing your taunt swaps and monitoring debuffs, so consider talent choices that simplify your rotation so that you can focus on everything else.

If possible, save healing for Rend Flesh, damage reduction for Overwhelm (especially the second Overwhelm stack).

Be stingy on active mitigation, prioritizing damage reduction AM for Overwhelms. It can be easy to panic at low health and use AM, but you’ll regret it later if you don’t have anything for Overwhelm later.

Defenses: Ironskin Brew for Overwhelms and the melee/tank soaked Barreling Impact. Usually an Overwhelm comes right after the Barreling Impact so save Purify for after that. Save ox orbs for Rend Flesh if possible, and save brews for Overwhelms.

Dragons of Nightmare

This fight includes Ysondre, one dragon on the ground, and one dragon inactive in the air. Besides Ysondre, the dragons change every week. Ysondre is always grounded, but the other two swap partway through the fight, each with a few different abilities.

Positioning Each tank will pull one dragon and position on opposite sides of the room, each with half the raid.

Cleave Face the bosses away from the raid so your allies don’t get hit with Corrupted Breath.

Tank SwapWhen each tank reaches about 6-8 stacks of any Mark of <Dragon> debuff they must trade dragons. The tanks should stay with their half of the raid, only the dragons should change.

You will need to perform a similar tank swap maneuver when a new dragon lands.

Time your swaps soon after adds die or after the dragon breaths so that you don’t need to worry about those mechanics as the dragons move.

You absolutely must swap dragons before you reach 10 stacks of any single Mark of <Dragon> debuff to avoid Slumbering Nightmare.

Stand in Nightmare Bloom, the pillar of reddish light, if it spawns near you.

Environmental Dangers Stay out of any other things that look dangerous, like green clouds (Seeping Fog) and purple swirls (Gloom)

This fight includes Ysondre, one dragon on the ground, and one dragon attacking from the air. Besides Ysondre, the dragons change every week. Ysondre is always grounded, but the other two swap partway through the fight, each with a few different abilities.

Positioning Each tank will pull one dragon and position on opposite sides of the room, each with half the raid.

Cleave Face the bosses away from the raid so your allies don’t get hit with Corrupted Breath.

Tank SwapWhen each tank reaches about 6-8 stacks of any Mark of <Dragon> debuff they must trade dragons. The tanks should stay with their half of the raid, only the dragons should change.

You will need to perform a similar tank swap maneuver when a new dragon lands.

Time your swaps soon after adds die or after the dragon breaths so that you don’t need to worry about those mechanics as the dragons move.

You absolutely must swap dragons before you reach 10 stacks of any single Mark of <Dragon> debuff to avoid Slumbering Nightmare.

Stand in Nightmare Bloom, the pillar of reddish light, if it spawns near you.

Environmental Dangers Stay out of any other things that look dangerous, like green clouds (Seeping Fog), purple swirls (Gloom), and giant exploding mushrooms that spawn from dead adds.

Damage Reduction If Taerar is in the air, he will cast Bellowing Roar, which fears everyone for 3 seconds. Use cooldowns and top yourself off beforehand.

This fight includes Ysondre, one dragon on the ground, and two dragonsattacking from the air. Ysondre is always grounded, but the other three swap partway through the fight, each with a few different abilities.

Positioning Each tank will pull one dragon and position on opposite sides of the room, each with half the raid.

Cleave Face the bosses away from the raid so your allies don’t get hit with Corrupted Breath. They also have Tail Lash, knocking back any players who step behind them.

Tank SwapWhen each tank reaches about 6-8 stacks of any Mark of <Dragon> debuff they must trade dragons. The tanks should stay with their half of the raid, only the dragons should change.

You will need to perform a similar tank swap maneuver when a new dragon lands.

Time your swaps soon after adds die or after the dragon breaths so that you don’t need to worry about those mechanics as the dragons move.

You absolutely must swap dragons before you reach 10 stacks of any single Mark of <Dragon> debuff to avoid Slumbering Nightmare.

Change Position Avoid the waves of ghostly adds (Beasts of Nightmare) that appear at random sides of the room and march across it, similar to Cordana in Vault of the Wardens, except they’re always visible.

Xavius

At the beginning of each phase, one tank will be randomly selected to enter the Dream. They will have different responsibilities, and should use cooldowns liberally as they reset once exiting the Dream.

In mythic, instead of randomly selecting players to enter the dream, Ysera drops pillars of green light. Standing in one will put you in the dream, and leaving one unsoaked will spawn big adds. Both tanks will probably enter the dream in the first or second waves.